Automatic washing device for a workpiece to be measured and automatic production system provided with the same

ABSTRACT

An automatic production system includes an automatic washing device usable to wash off swarf left on a workpiece by an NC machine tool. The automatic washing device is used before measuring a portion of a workpiece using a three dimensional measuring device controlled by a measuring part program controlling the three dimensional measuring device. When automating an operation of the washing device, a washing program is produced based on the a measuring part program controlling the three dimensional measuring device to be able to efficiently wash a minimal area of the work piece encompassing the portion of the workpiece to be measured.

TECHNICAL FILED

The present invention relates to an automatic washing device for aworkpiece to be measured and an automatic production system providedwith the same, for automatically washing off swarf left on the workpieceto be measured as a preceding process prior to the workpiece measurementby means of a measuring device such as a three dimensional measuringdevice.

BACKGROUND FIELD

An NC machine tool is known as a typical device in an automaticproduction device. The NC machine tool has functions both ofautomatically changing rotating tools such as a drill and ofautomatically manufacturing the workpiece by moving the tool in thethree dimensional directions according to a predetermined contourprogram to manufacture the workpiece to the predetermined shape and sizeby changing a plurality of tools in accordance with a manufacturingprocess program from a control device. The manufactured workpiece issent to the measuring device to measure a manufactured part of theworkpiece and evaluate and judge a manufactured result. The workpiece issent to a following process such as an assembly process after that.

After manufacturing the workpiece by the NC machine tool, as it isnecessary to remove swarf and burr left on the workpiece and dissipateheat generated during manufacturing before measuring the workpiece bythe measuring device, it has been proposed in Japanese patentpublication (Kokoku) NO. 3-29473 to automate the work such as theremoving and the heat dissipation (cooling). According to this proposal,although the automatic control in the constant washing device is carriedout on the basis of an information signal for controlling the NC machinetool, problems still remain as follows.

(1) It is difficult to undergo automation because it is impossible toobtain the manufacturing information easily, even if it is intended tomeasure the predetermined part of the workpiece, which is conveyed fromthe other production system, by the measuring device.

(2) It generates loss of working time because of washing the whole ofthe manufactured part, even if it is necessary to measure only a part ofthe workpiece manufactured by the NC machine tool.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic washingdevice for a workpiece to be measured which can quickly remove the swarfleft on a part of the workpiece to be measured, thereby startingmeasurement of the manufactured part of the workpiece by the measuringdevice, and accordingly, increasing productivity in the workpieceproduction line.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

A washing device according to the present invention comprises anautomatic washing device for washing a measuring part of a workpiecebefore measuring a predetermined shape of the workpiece according to ameasuring part program, and wherein the automatic washing device isprovided with a washing program producing unit for producing a washingprogram from the measuring part program, with the washing programcontrolling the washing device.

Furthermore, a device according to one exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention comprises a main body that accommodates a workpiecefrom an outside; a robot mechanism provided with an arm movable in threedimensional directions; a liquid ejecting nozzle fixed to the arm thatejects a pressurized liquid; and an air ejecting nozzle fixed to the armthat ejects compressed air, wherein the automatic washing device isprovided with a washing program producing unit that produces a washingprogram from the measuring part program, with the washing programcontrolling the washing device.

Furthermore, a device according to another exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention comprises a main body that accommodates a workpiecefrom outside; a robot mechanism provided with an arm movable in threedimensional directions; a liquid ejecting nozzle fixed to the arm thatejects a pressurized liquid; an air ejecting nozzle fixed to the armthat ejects compressed air; and a temperature adjusting unit thatadjusts the temperature of the pressurized liquid and compressed air,wherein the automatic washing device is provided with a washing programproducing unit that produces a washing program from the measuring partprogram, with the washing program controlling the washing device.

Furthermore, an automatic production system applied to the presentinvention comprises an NC machine tool for carrying out a manufacturingcontrol of a workpiece according to an NC program; a measuring devicefor feeding back a measurement result from automatically measuring amanufacturing part of the workpiece by the NC machine tool; and anautomatic washing device for automatically removing swarf left on theworkpiece manufactured by the NC machine tool, wherein the automaticwashing device is provided with a washing program producing unit forproducing a washing program according to a measuring part program.

Moreover, an automatic production system according to the presentinvention comprises an NC machine tool that carries out manufacturingcontrol of a workpiece according to an NC program; a measuring devicethat feeds back a measurement result obtained by automatically measuringa manufactured part of the workpiece by the NC machine tool; and anautomatic washing device that automatically removes a swarf left on theworkpiece manufactured by the NC machine tool, wherein the automaticwashing device is provided with a main body that accommodates aworkpiece from an outside, a robot mechanism provided with an armmovable in three dimensional directions, a liquid ejecting nozzle fixedto the arm and that ejects a pressurized liquid, an air ejecting nozzlefixed to the arm and that ejects a compressed air, and a washing programproducing unit that controls the robot mechanism according to ameasuring part program for controlling the measuring device.

According to the washing device of the present invention, because thewashing device can quickly and efficiently remove the swarf on theworkpiece to quickly start to carry out the measurement, it can increaseproductivity of the workpiece production line by optimally utilizing theworking ability of the automatic production device and achieve anincrease in manufacturing precision.

Furthermore, when the washing device according to the present inventionis applied to the production line connected by on-line, it can be usedfor a plurality of NC machine tools in common, and, accordingly, hasadvantages in layout, working efficiency, and economy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a relationship among the NCmachine tool, the washing device and the measuring device appliedrespectively to the automatic production line according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an overall structure of the washing deviceapplied to the device shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows circuit arrangements in a swarf removing unit and aworkpiece temperature adjusting unit which are respectively applied tothe washing device.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an automatic production line providedwith a washing device which is one embodiment in the present invention.On the production line, an NC machine tool 100 having the function ofthe automatic production device, a washing device 200, a measuringdevice 300 for a three dimensional measurement, are positioned in turn.The workpiece 4 is conveyed from the NC machine tool 100 to the washingdevice 200 and further from the washing device to the measuring deviceby a conveying robot 5, 6.

The measured result from the measuring device 300 about themanufacturing part of the workpiece 4 is fed back to an NC programproducing device 101. The NC machine tool, the washing device 200 andthe measuring device 300 are positioned on the automatic workpieceproduction line, and they are connected to each by on-line. Althoughonly one NC machine tool is shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of NC machinetools are arranged in parallel on the production line, and the workpiece4 manufactured by them is conveyed to the common washing device forwashing.

First of all, the NC machine tool will be described. The NC machine tool100 is provided with a manufacturing main body 8, which has, forexample, a rotating tool 7 such a drill, for manufacturing the workpiece4 by three-dimensionally moving the tool 7 in the orthogonal directionsof three x, y and z axes. Many tools 7 different in their respectivetypes and diameters are accommodated in a tool magazine 9. A toolchanging device 10 is arranged between the manufacturing main body 8 andthe tool magazine 9. Using the tool changing device 10, the tool 7selected from the tool magazine 9 is attached to the manufacturing mainbody 8 and the tool 7 attached in the main body 8 is accommodated at apredetermined position of the tool magazine 9. A manufacturing controlunit 11 is connected to the manufacturing main body 8, the tool magazine9 and the tool changing device 10. The manufacturing control unit 11operates each of devices 8, 9 and 10 according to a predeterminedmanufacturing process program. In other words, the workpiece 4 ismanufactured to the desired shape and size by three-dimensional movementafter changing the predetermined tool 7 from the manufacturing main body8. Although the NC machine tool 100 is operated as a whole by a NCprogram, in this automatic production line, the NC program is applied asan output from an NC program producing device 101. The program producingdevice 101 has the function of automatically producing the NC programaccording to data about the finished shape and material of theworkpiece. Further, as data resulting from the output program isinterchanged between the NC machine tool 100 and the measuring device300, the-program producing device 101 also has a learning function ofproducing the more preferred NC program by storing and evaluating theobtained result.

Next, the washing device 200 in the embodiment will be described. Thewashing device 200 includes a robot mechanism 15 having an arm 14provided with both a liquid ejecting nozzle 12 and an air ejectingnozzle 13. Furthermore, in order to operate a robot mechanism 15, anoperating control 16 moves the arm 14 in the orthogonal directions ofthree x, y and z axes in accordance with the predetermined process. Aswarf removing unit 17 includes the liquid ejecting nozzle 12 andremoves the swarf and so on left on the workpiece 4, which ismanufactured by the NC machine tool 100, by ejecting the compressedliquid from the liquid ejecting nozzle 12, with the compressed liquidbeing adjusted to a predetermined temperature. A workpiece temperatureadjusting unit 18 includes the air ejecting nozzle 13, and dries theworkpiece 4 by ejecting the compressed air, adjusted to thepredetermined temperature, from the air ejecting nozzle 13 so as toadjust the workpiece 4 to the predetermined temperature. The temperatureof the compressed air and the compressed liquid also helps dissipate theheat of the workpiece generated during manufacturing.

The actuating control unit 16 for actuating the robot mechanism 15 isapplied with the washing program from a washing program producing unit201. The output of a measuring part program producing device 301 forproducing the measuring part program on receiving the NC program of theNC machine tool 100, is applied to the washing program producing unit201. In other words, the washing program producing 201 of the presentinvention can produce the washing program for controlling the washingdevice 200 on the basis of the measuring part program. Therefore,according to the present invention, it is possible to start the washingquickly by using the measuring part program in the measuring device 300positioned at the lower part on the production line, without measuringthe shape of the conveyed workpiece 4.

When the washing program from the washing program producing unit 201 isapplied to the actuating control unit 16 in the washing device 200, theactuating control unit 16 ejects both the compressing liquid from theliquid ejecting nozzle 12 and the compressed air from the air ejectingnozzle 13 to the predetermined measuring part of the workpiece to bemeasured by the measuring device 300.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the overall structure of the washingdevice 200. A robot mechanism 15 fixed on the base table 20 is arrangedin the side of a main body of the washing device 200. The main body 19has a control box 21 in the lower portion and a washing chamber 22 inthe upper portion. In the control box 21, there are accommodated a tankfor storing the compressing liquid ejected from the liquid ejectingnozzle 12 and apparatuses consisting of the swarf removing unit 17 andthe workpiece temperature adjusting unit 18. The washing chamber 22 isdefined all around by a transparent plate, a bellows seal member isprovided in a side so as to insert the arm 14 of the robot mechanism 15into the inside of the washing chamber 22 in the sealing condition. Thearm 14 is moved in the three dimensional directions inside the washingchamber 22. The arm 14 can move in the three dimensional directionsbecause the bellows sealing member has elasticity, the washing chamber22 being sealed by the bellows seal member.

FIG. 3 shows circuit arrangements of the swarf removing unit 17 and theworkpiece temperature adjusting unit 18. A tank 23 provided with theinterior of the control box 21 is connected to a liquid compressing unit25 through a pipe 24, and the liquid compressing unit 25 includes amotor, pressure pump and so on driven by the motor. The liquidcompressing unit 25 is connected to a pipe 27, which is provided withthe liquid ejecting nozzle 12 at its top edge, through a switching valve26. The washing liquid in the tank 23 is sucked by the liquidcompressing unit 25, and ejected from the liquid ejecting nozzle 12through the pipe 24, the switching valve 26 and the pipe 27 bycompressing action. The liquid ejected in the washing chamber 22 isreturned to the tank 23 and removed from the swarf and so on by a filterunit (not shown). This liquid is thus recycled.

A liquid temperature adjusting unit 28 is arranged in a part of the pipe27, and comprises a heater 29 and a switch 30 adjusting a heat value ofthe heater 29 and adjusting the temperature of the pressurized liquidejected from the liquid ejecting nozzle 12 at a constant temperature of20° C.

The swarf removing unit 17 includes the ejected liquid nozzle 12, theliquid compressing unit 25 and the liquid temperature adjusting unit 28.Moreover, a liquid temperature adjusting 28′ may be comprised bypositioning a heater 29′ in the tank 23, as shown in FIG. 3, withoutarranging the liquid temperature adjusting 28 in the pipe.

The workpiece temperature adjusting unit 18 consists of the air ejectingnozzle 13, an air compressing unit 31 and an air temperature adjustingunit 32. The air compressing unit 31 comprises the motor, the aircompressing pump and soon driven by the motor. The air compressing unit31 is connected to a pipe 33, which is provided with the air temperatureadjusting unit 32, through a switching valve 34, and the top edge of thepipe 30 is arranged with the air ejecting nozzle 13. The air temperatureadjusting unit 32 consists of a heater 35 and a switch 36 adjusting aheat value of the heater 35, and adjusts the temperature of thecompressed air ejected from the air ejecting nozzle 13 at the sameconstant temperature as that of the pressurized liquid of 20° C.

Next, the measuring device 300 arranged in the automatic production linewill be described. The measuring device 300 uses a general threedimensional measuring apparatus and has a touch signal probe 37 forsequentially touching predetermined parts on the surface of theworkpiece carried on the table by the conveying robot 6. The touchsignal probe 37 is driven in the three dimensional directions by a probedriving mechanism 38. A probe changing unit 39 brings a required probefrom a plurality of the stored probes to change it on the probe drivingmechanism 38. Furthermore, the measuring device 300 comprises a signalprocessing unit 40 for processing the measurement of the shape of theworkpiece by using a signal obtained from the touch signal probe 37, ameasuring control unit 41 for controlling the probe changing unit 39 andthe probe driving mechanism 38. Though the measuring device 300 isoperated as a whole by the measuring part program, in this automaticproduction line, the device 300 is applied as the output from ameasurement part program producing device 301. The measuring partprogram producing device 301 has the function of automatically producingthe measuring part program according to the NC program output from theNC program producing device 101. Further, as data resulting from themeasuring part program is interchanged between the measuring device 300,the device 301 also has the learning function of producing the morepreferred NC program by storing and evaluating the obtained result.

Next, the operation will be described.

In FIG. 1, the manufacturing main body 8 in the NC machine tool 100manufactures the workpiece 4 by moving the tool 7 in the threedimensional directions. This manufacturing of the workpiece 4 is carriedout by selecting and changing the required tool 7 from many tools 7stored in the tool magazine 9. The three dimensional movement of thetool 7 and the selection and change of the tool 7 is performed accordingto the manufacturing process program in the manufacturing control unit11. Thus, the workpiece 4 automatically manufactured by the NC machinetool 100 is conveyed to the washing device 200 by the conveying robot 5and so forth to be set inside the washing chamber 22 in the main body 19of the washing device 200. Next, the robot mechanism 15 driven by thedriving control unit 16. The arm 14 of the robot mechanism 15 is movedin the three dimensional directions along the surface of the workpiece4, by ejecting the pressurized liquid from the liquid ejecting nozzle 12to remove the swarf, the burr and so on left on the workpiece 4 by theejecting pressure of the pressurized liquid. Then, as the pressurizedliquid is adjusted at the predetermined temperature by the liquidtemperature adjusting unit 28, heat of the workpiece 4 duringmanufacturing is cooled, and as a result, the temperature of theworkpiece 4 decreases.

The compressed air is ejected from the air ejecting nozzle 13 afterfinishing the ejection of the pressurized liquid, the arm 14 being movedagain in the three dimensional directions, and the workpiece 4 beingdried with the compressed air. Because this compressed air is also keptat the same temperature as the pressurized liquid by being adjusted to apredetermined temperature by the air temperature adjusting unit 32, theworkpiece 4 is quickly cooled down to the required temperature.

As mentioned above, the washing program producing unit 201 produces thewashing program in accordance with the measuring part program andoutputs the washing program to the driving control unit 16. Therefore,the robot mechanism 15 is driven by the washing program corresponding tothe measuring part program output from the measuring part programproducing unit 301, the arm 14 moves the manufactured part of theworkpiece 4 in the three dimensional directions. Because the pressurizedliquid from the liquid ejecting nozzle 12 and the compressed air areejected to the manufactured part, it can efficiently remove the swarfand so on and dissipate heat generated during manufacturing.

The workpiece 4 washed by the washing device 200 is sent to themeasuring device 300 by the conveying robot 6. When the workpiece 4 isconveyed to the measuring device 300, because the swarf and so on areremoved from the workpiece 4 and the workpiece 4 is cooled down to thepredetermined temperature, it can immediately start to measure the sizeof the manufactured part of the workpiece 4. This measurement result isfed back to the NC program producing device 101 to correct the amount ofthe movement of the tool 7 for manufacturing new workpiece 4.

According to the washing device 200 in the present invention, by usingthe measuring part program, the robot mechanism in the washing device200 is driven by the driving control unit 16 by ejecting both thepressurized liquid from the liquid ejecting nozzle 12 and the compressedair from the air ejecting nozzle 13 to the manufactured part of theworkpiece 4. As a result, cooling of the workpiece 4, in which thetemperature is raised by heat generated when removing the swarf andmanufacturing the workpiece 4, can be accomplished in a short time.Furthermore, as it can quickly start to adjust the manufactured part ofthe workpiece 4 by the measuring device 300, it can increaseproductivity of the workpiece production line by optimally utilizing theimproved working ability in the NC manufacturing device 100.Furthermore, because both the temperatures of the pressurized liquid andthe compressed air are adjusted to the predetermined temperature by theliquid temperature adjusting unit 28 in the swarf removing unit 17 andthe air temperature adjusting unit 32, it can cool the temperature ofthe workpiece 4 down to the suitable temperature for performing themeasurement of the measuring device 300 in a very short time.

What is claimed is:
 1. An automatic washing device usable to wash amanufactured portion of a workpiece to be measured, comprising: awashing program producing unit that produces a washing program based ona measuring part program, wherein: the measuring part program is basedon a NC program and is usable to measure at least the manufacturedportion of the workpiece, and the automatic washing device is usable towash the manufactured portion, under control of the washing program. 2.The automatic washing device of claim 1, wherein the automatic washingdevice is arranged such that the device is capable of being used to washthe manufactured portion before the measuring part program is used tomeasure the manufactured portion of the workpiece.
 3. An automaticwashing device usable to wash a manufactured portion of a workpiece tobe measured, comprising: a main body that accommodates the workpiece; arobot mechanism provided with an arm movable in three dimensionaldirections; a liquid ejecting nozzle, fixed to the arm, that ejects apressurized liquid; a gas ejecting nozzle, fixed to the arm, that ejectsa compressed gas; and a washing program producing unit that produces awashing program based on a measuring part program, wherein: themeasuring part program is usable to measure at least the manufacturedportion of the workpiece and is based on a NC program, and the automaticwashing device is usable to wash the manufactured portion, under controlof the washing program.
 4. The automatic washing device of claim 3,wherein the automatic washing device is arranged such that the device iscapable of being used to wash the manufactured portion before themeasuring part program is used to measure the manufactured portion ofthe workpiece.
 5. An automatic washing device usable to wash amanufactured portion of a workpiece to be measured, comprising: a mainbody that accommodates the workpiece; a robot mechanism provided with anarm movable in three dimensional directions; a liquid ejecting nozzle,fixed to the arm, that ejects a pressurized liquid; a gas ejectingnozzle, fixed to the arm, that ejects a compressed gas; a temperatureadjusting unit that adjusts a temperature of at least one of thepressurized liquid and the compressed gas; and a washing programproducing unit that produces a washing program based on a measuring partprogram, wherein: the measuring part program is usable to measure atleast the manufactured portion of the workpiece and is based on a NCprogram, and the automatic washing device is usable to wash themanufactured portion, under control of the washing program.
 6. Theautomatic washing device of claim 5, wherein the automatic washingdevice is arranged such that the device is capable of being used to washthe manufactured portion before the measuring part program is used tomeasure the manufactured portion of the workpiece.
 7. An automaticproduction system, comprising: an NC machine tool usable to carry out amanufacturing control of a workpiece according to an NC program; ameasuring device usable to automatically measure a manufactured portionof the workpiece manufactured using the NC machine tool and to feed backa measurement result for at least the manufactured portion; and anautomatic washing device that automatically removes swarf left on atleast the manufactured portion of the workpiece manufactured using theNC machine tool, wherein: the automatic washing device is provided witha washing program producing unit that produces a washing programaccording to a measuring part program, the measuring part program beingused by the measuring device to measure at least the manufacturedportion of the workpiece and being based on a NC program, and theautomatic washing device being used to wash the manufactured portion,under control of the washing program.
 8. The automatic washing device ofclaim 7, wherein the automatic washing device is arranged such that thedevice is capable of being used to wash the manufactured portion beforethe measuring part program is used to measure the manufactured portionof the workpiece.
 9. An automatic production system, comprising: an NCmachine tool that carries out manufacturing control of a workpieceaccording to an NC program; a measuring device usable to automaticallymeasure a manufactured portion of the workpiece manufactured using theNC machine tool according to a measuring part program and to feed back ameasurement result for at least the manufactured portion; and anautomatic washing device that automatically removes swarf left on atleast the manufactured portion of the workpiece manufactured using theNC machine tool, comprising: a main body that accommodates a workpiece,a robot mechanism provided with an arm movable in three dimensionaldirections, a liquid ejecting nozzle, fixed to the arm, that ejects apressurized liquid, a gas ejecting nozzle, fixed to the arm, that ejectsa compressed gas, and a washing program producing unit that produces awashing program based on the measuring part program, wherein themeasuring part program is based on a NC program and the automaticwashing device washes the manufactured portion, under control of thewashing program.
 10. The automatic washing device of claim 9, whereinthe automatic washing device is arranged such that the device is capableof being used to wash the manufactured portion before the measuring partprogram is used to measure the manufactured portion of the workpiece.